White Hills : "the Revenge of Heads on Fire"

This duo sounds continues to evolve. This is a re-imagining of their "Heads on Fire " album from 2007. The songs are re-worked and re-mixed.  Now it is something clearly more stoner rock than psych- garage rock. Things are still trippy, but heavier. The vocals drifting as the drums batter against the swirl of sonics swarming the song. There is still a very 60s throb to it. The guitar does have a Jimi Hendrix influence in the sounds summoned in the feedback drenched melodies plucked from it. "Inoke Tupo" picks up where the previous trip ends, yet it is only an interlude of sounds indulged in. The fuzz of "Oceans of Sound" embarks furthers on the fuzzed Sabbath worship, dosed with hippie wet dreams of yester year. The heavy-handed drumming reverberates with a punk rawness. The vocals work off a more droned chant than a vocal melody.

"Speed Toilet" isa acid induced atmospheric instrumental. There is more structure to the brooding bass line of "Is This the Road" which is equally as hypnotic, but more structured and purposeful even as it circles the cloud of pot smoke it feels to have been made from. "VTDS' is another ambient interlude rather than a full song. I prefer things more in the direction of where they do in the darker "Don't Be Afraid" that hovers somewhere between old Pink Floyd, and Psychic TV.  At 21 minutes long well, that is getting a bit carried away. Once you pass the ten-minute mark and it becomes a abstract mess with your mind moment. It does build up, but this has a great deal of fat to be trimmed.  You could write "Visions of the Past Present and Future" sound like a jam band version of Motorhead, but what you would really be saying is it sounds like Hawkwind. 

There is a cool groove to "Silent Violence" that makes up for the fact the vocals drone on the same pattern the entire song. Though tht is consistent with the vibe they are on this album. "Eternity" closes the album in more straight forward fashion, which is more along the lines of what I think of when this band comes to mind. It is exciting to hear their continued expansion of the sonic colors they paint with. I will give this one a 9. This drops September 16th. 

6.5

Lydia Laska : "Ego Death"

This band from Norway is a weird mix of Brit flavored 60s rock and indie rock , but they are not afraid to crank up the distortion. Since they are from Norway their press release tries to connect them to black metal , but I am not hearing how those dots could connect. This is their second album and it offers a pretty wide range of sounds and moods. More synths color "Taste of Blood". I like the dark and drug lidded slur of the guitars and vocals.If something sounds like it is being played people musicians on drugs for others musicians doing them it wins in my book. If the Flaming Lips were darker they might sound similar. There is a mix of Brit Pop and post -punk on "Brainmelt" which is more upbeat.

The fuzzed guitar of "I can play myself" begins to find a more uniform punk meets T- Rex sound.If it wasn't for the gleaming drugged sheen causing the sound to stagger this might be too happy for me. "Gout Lord " continues down the more punk path they hinted at earlier in the album. The vocals are not really screamed, more drunkenly muttered with resent. I like their more drugged indie rock side better than the punk one , it's just more interesting and doesn't sound like every hipster garage rock band. They head back in that direction with " Did you do it again" . The dreamy glaze is cast back over things.

"We'll make up your mind" has some jagged rock edges. Kinda 70s glam influenced. I guess what they are going to try to call black metal is the more Motorhead like vocal on "Funeral Fist" . While it's not a terrible song its still more punk than metal. The last song "Levitation" has a almost folk jangle to it. The trippy elements are still in check they just are not using them as well as they did earlier in the album though even then it doesn't suck .Very Syd Barrett influenced. I'll give this album an 8, it starts off stronger than it ends . I think these guys have potential to do some great things, I like the bulk of the sounds, I think some of the punk parts are not true to what they do best or maybe its the sound of them growing away from that kind of thing.

Black Salvation : "Uncertainty is Bliss"

Former In Solitude and Grave Pleasures drummer Uno Bruniusson. But each member of this trio is highly talented. The guitarist Paul Schlesier handles the vocals. He gives the band a darker sound with a croon not unlike that employed on In Solitude's "Sister" album though more Jim Morrison than King Diamond. "Floating Torpid" finds the more Doors side of the band being delved into while incorporating a raw garage rock energy.   This is the band's second album , their first with Uno on the drums, but they are very sure of the sound they want to create. "Breathing Hands" is jammed out from the previous song, it sounds like logical progression and at first listen thought it was just one long song.

The is a slightly more relaxed strut to the strummed "Leair". Less Doors influenced and like a gloomy version of the Rolling Stones. The emotive warble of Paul's baritone croon continues to be engaging. In some of his more aggressive phrases he has more of an Iggy Pop feel. While there is a retro slant to their sound. It feels very natural and not like they are just looking for an excuse to wear bell bottoms and smoke pot. There is more of  punk freak out boogie to "A Direction if Futile". They have a really groovy guitar sound, that has reverb to it, but doesn't force the notes to hide behind it. Even at their most jammy, the guitar solos work with the songs. At over nine minutes this is the longest track. It indulges in some of the albums more psychedelic tendencies. I imagine this would go over well live. They display some great dynamics in the explosive manner the build pays off .

There is a rowdier jangle to "Grey River". The bass player really help the song drive. It is the most straight forward song on the album, even in its most spacey moments.  I can hear traces of 90s indie rock in how the chords are struck, which is not unlike bands like Drive Like Jehu. "Getting Slowly Lost" has an almost ballad like beginning. The vocals continue to fall somewhere between Jim Morrison and Ian Astbury. In fact when I went back to give this album another listen I picked up on some Cult-ish moments. But the build on this song is more like a "5 to 1 " sort of thing. That is not to say this guys are a Doors tribute band. They have their own sound, but there is no denying their influences.  I'' round this one up to a 10. This had been sitting in my in-box so I am glad the fact the In Solitude connection caught my eye. While these guys are not metal, fans of In Solitude will find enough common ground to enjoy this one. It comes out April 6th on Relapse.